Chargrilled Witlof with Crispy Proscuitto

This is my new favourite side!  I have always loved the crunchiness of witlof in salads but chargrilled.......Oh My Lord!  The heavenly, smokey, sweet flavour of the witlof together with a whack of salty, crunchy proscuitto and the sharp tang of balsamic vinegar  make this a super side that will be sure to knock the socks off your dinner guests!

Serves 4

4 x witlof, halved (red and green if you can get both)
4 slices of proscuitto
2 tbs of chopped parsley
Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
Balsamic vinegar for drizzling (A good aged one is best)

Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees.  Lay the strips of proscuitto on a lined oven tray and bake in a pre heated oven until crispy (approximately 10-15 minutes).  Set aside and allow to cool.

Pre heat a griddle pan or BBQ to a nice high heat.  Lay the witlof face down in the pan and grill until lovely grill lines appear.  Turn and do the same on the other side.  (It is better not to oil before you grill as the natural sugars in the witlof will enable you to get the nice black chargrill lines.)

Arrange the witlof on a platter.  Crumble over the crispy proscuitto and sprinkle with parsley.  Drizzle over the olive oil and balsamic vinegar but don't drown them, you want the witlof to be the star of the show.  Season with salt and pepper and serve.

I served this side with a Pot Roasted Chicken and Porcini Mushroom Risotto (recipes to follow).  However it would pair well with any meat, fish, pasta or risotto dish......